Baglung, December 20:

Agnidhar Gautam, an inmate of Baglung district jail, has a dream: to earn his Masters degree from inside the jail. Jail sources said, “People think that life in prison is very hard and no door of opportunity is open to those behind bars. But, Gautam has been a role model for the jailbirds.”

Twenty-eight-year-old Gautam, a resident of Resh VDC in Baglung, was jailed four years ago in a murder case.

Most of the time he keeps reading different books. He completed his school leaving certificate exam while in the jail. He has now begun the Bachelors degree course.

“For those in the jail wanting to study, there are many obstacles,” Gautam told this daily. He added, “Owing to the unfavourable situation in Baglung jail, I would like to be shifted to a Kathmandu-based jail.”

Reading aloud to other inmates is his hobby. He reads out biographies of Nelson Mandela, Jawahar Lal Nehru, BP Koirala and other eminent figures to the others.

Jailer Tikaram Acharya said, “We want to help those inmates who desire to study. We will try and begin the process of shifting Gautam to a Kathmandu jail.”